[AFRICA] Plan de L’Isle de France.

Magnificent c.18th chart of Mauritius, published in the second edition of Mannevillette’s, Le Neptune Oriental dedié au Roi (Oriental Pilot), the most highly regarded pilot for the Eastern trade for both French and English ships. Within the map is an explanation of the historical names used for the island.

One of the best and most sought after maps solely focusing on the island.

From about 1735 Mannevillette had set about collecting detailed charts of the known coasts from Africa to Australia and which with the financial support of the Comapne des Indes and the Academie des Sciences, he published his ground breaking sea atlas, Le Neptune Oriental in 1745. This first issue comprised only twenty five charts, superior to any previously available and consequently quickly became the indispensable maritime atlas for ship owners, captains and pilots engaged in the Southeast Asian sea routes. In 1775 d’Apres issued the second edition of Le Neptune Oriental, greatly expanded to approximately 69 charts which Mannevillette had applied his advances in navigational techniques which he had refined in the intervening 30 years.  There is no standard collation of the the second edition with the number of maps varying in atlases held by major institutional libraries. Mannevillette kept updating the charts and eventually this required a supplement, published posthumously in 1781 and reissued in 1797.